Two New Trematodes of Family Acanthocolpidae Luhe, 1906 From Marine Fish Leiognathus daura (Cuvier) from the Coast of Puri, Orissa, India.

BACKGROUND
Genus Acanthocolpus (Trematoda: Acanthocolpiidae) is one of the most important zoonotic digenean with wide geographic distribution in the world. The purpose of the present study was to describe morphological and morphometrical characteristics of Acanthocolpus species, currently prevalent in marine fish fauna of Puri coast, Orissa, India.


METHODS
Gastro-intestinal organs of Leiognathus daura (Cuvier) in Puri coast, Orissa, India, were examined for infectivity with digenean trematode species. For examination and measurements of helminthes, acetoalum carmine staining was performed, followed by camera Lucida drawings of morphological characters and measurements of morphometrical criteria with a calibrated microscope. Using valid trematode systematic keys, almost all the parasites were identified at the level of species.


RESULTS
Overall, 36 marine fishes were found infected with at least one species of Acanthocolpus. Considering morphological characteristics of Acanthocolpus, two species were identified as new species including Acanthocolpus durghai sp.nov. and Acanthocolpus amrawatai sp.nov.


CONCLUSION
During the survey of helminth parasites, collected six different species of the genus Acanthocolpus, out of these two are new species, another is redescribed to show certain variation, the new parasite was obtain from the intestine of marine fish Leiognathus daura (Cuvier).


Introduction
n this paper we are adding the knowledge of Acanthocolpus (1), especially of marine teleost fishes from the coast of Puri, Orissa (India). During the survey of helminth parasites, collected six different species of the genus Acanthocolpus, are found out of these two are new and four species, are rediscribed. The new species were found in the intestine of marine fish Leiognathus daura (Cuvier).

Materials and Methods
During the examination of the marine fish specimens of the above genus were recovered from the intestine of marine fish. The specimens were collected and identified by fish books and cut open and thoroughly examined after that helminthes parasites were separated in Petri dish containing normal saline solution. The parasite were flattened with slight pressure of cover glass and fixed in A.F.A. fixative (50% alcohol, formalin and acetic acid in ratio of 100: 6: 2.5). They were stained in acetoalum carmine, differentiated in acid alcohol and dehydrated through ascending grade of alcohols. These were cleared in xylol and mounted in canada balsam or DPX. The diagrams were made with the help of camera Lucida. All the measurements in millimeters: unless otherwise stated.

Discussion
The present form belongs to genus Acanthocolpus Luhe, 1906 (9) from Maharashtra are known so far. A. luhei was considered as a synonym of A. liodorus (10). A. luhei was distinguished from A. liodorus in the anterior extent of vitellaria, sucker ratio and in the absence of acetabular penduncle (11). Later on Gupta and Gupta (12) followed Yamaguti (10) and considered all the characters mentioned by Hafeezullah, (11) are variable characters. Author agrees with Yamaguti (10) and Gupta and Gupta (12) in considering A. luhei (2) as a synonym of A. liodorus (1).
The present form differs from all these species except A. luhei, A. indicum, A. orientalis and A. chorinesmusi in the absence of acetabular peduncle.
The present form differs from all these forms in having reniform oral sucker instead of sub-spherical or conical, genital pore lying on little posterior to oral sucker instead of just pre-acetabular region or at middle of ventral sucker, cirrus sac extending from just anterior to ovary instead of separated from uterine coils and in relative shape and size of various organ.
The present form differ from all they above form except A. inguisi and A. cabelleroi, A. arpitai, A. apoorvai in having body elongated slender, oral sucker terminal, sub-spherical, uter-ine coil not present in between ovary and testis .
However present form differs from A. inguisi, A. cabelleroi, A. arpitai and A. apoorvai in having genital pore lying posterior to ventral instead of at the level of pharynx, cirrus sac extending up to ventral sucker instead of level of pharynx, testes are separated from each other by vitellaria instead of lying one behind other in A. inguisi, genital pore lying anterioventral to ventral sucker in A. cabelleroi , genital pore present at level of pharynx ovary preequatorial instead of post equatorial , cirrus sac long instead of short, egg non-operculated instead of operculated in A. arpitai the genital pore lying on posterior to intestinal bifurcation, cirrus sac extending from just in front of ovary instead of at level of vitellaria in A. apoorvai, and in relative shape and size of various organs.
Thus an account of above mentioned differences as against all those described earlier, the present form may deserve the status of new species with specific name A. amarawatai sp.nov.